Neuroticism or
negativity is a
personality trait associated with negative emotions. It is one of the
Big Five traits. People high in neuroticism experience negative emotions like
fear,
anger,
shame,
envy, or
depression more often and more intensely than those who score low on neuroticism.
[1] Highly neurotic people have more trouble coping with
stressful events, are more likely to insult or lash out at others, and are more likely to interpret ordinary situations (like minor
frustrations) as hopelessly difficult. Neuroticism is closely-related to
mood disorders such as
anxiety and
depression.
[2][3][4]
Individuals who score low in neuroticism tend to be more emotionally stable and less reactive to stress. They tend to be calm, even-tempered, and less likely to feel tense or rattled. Although they are low in negative emotion, they are not necessarily high in positive emotions, which are more commonly associated with
extraversion and
agreeableness.
[5] Neurotic extroverts, for example, would experience high levels of both positive and negative emotional states, a kind of "emotional roller coaster".
[6][5]
